Across the country Friday night, communities took a stand against racism. YWCA's are hosting an anti-racism campaign that stretches across the United States. In Grand Island, community members and businesses showed their support to put an end to prejudice in their neighborhoods.
Grand Island has a diverse community, rich with different cultures, languages and religions. But, Friday night was not about what makes us different, but what makes us all the same.
Bubbles, balls and hula hoops – they come in all different shapes and colors, just like friendships.
"We're all just the same," explained one little girl.
Taking a stand against racism can be hard when you're less than four feet tall and even harder when you have no idea what racism means.
"I haven't really learned about racism," said one kid. What does racism mean we asked, "I don't know," replied another.
"Kids grow up with a clean slate, somebody has to put something on that slate, you know," said Togo Guigeras, a mother. Friday's event, erasing everyone's slate, "events like this help people to come together with people," said Guigeras.
"It's about teaching to people were more alike than we're different," said Jennifer Larsen, executive director for Grand Island's YWCA.
What we found, is that the differences seem to grow bigger, as kids do.
We asked a kindergartner what racism is – his response, "When one person doesn't like the other person," he said, and added he didn't know why they wouldn't like each other.
We asked a Highschooler what racism is – his response, "When people are making fun of other people because they're a different color," he said.
And a new mom replied "inconsideration, bullying people, being mean, just all of the above."
The goal for organizers of Friday's event was to get back to basics and get people to start thinking like kids.
"We want to share, have some fellowship with other people and the community and family because those are core values we think are important," said Carlos Bárcenas, executive director of the Multicultural Coalition.
